


Easier to Run

by MsPerception427



Series: Redemption [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Good Theo Raeken, Hurt Theo Raeken, M/M, Pack Feels, Protective Liam Dunbar, Protective Pack, Protective Scott McCall, Scott McCall is a Good Friend, Theo Raeken Needs a Hug, Theocentric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2018-08-19
Packaged: 2019-06-13 04:56:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 15,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15356742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsPerception427/pseuds/MsPerception427
Summary: It's been a few months since Theo was officially accepted into the McCall Pack and things have been calm. Of course, all that changes when an unexpected new threat rears its head throwing the relative calm and peaceful life Theo found into chaos.





	1. Rise of the Chimera

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Welcome to the anticipated (??) sequel to Somewhere I Belong fka We Are the Wild Ones. This is a short one and takes place before the fluffy story of Theo and Alec trying to get a dog. The second chapter should be up soon! Enjoy!

Things were going pretty well in Beacon Hills if Liam did say so himself. And he did. Often. It was pretty much his mantra now when reporting into Scott and any of the older Pack members that called to check in. Ever since they almost lost Theo, things had been relatively calm. Okay so, there were a couple of hunters here and there that didn’t appear to get the memo that Beacon Hills would no longer tolerate that nonsense, but even that wasn’t as huge a threat given the sheer strength of the Puppy Pack. Marin wasn’t lying when she said they were strong. Mason took to his Druid training like a duck to water. Whatever spark Stiles had was amplified in Mason. Liam was proud. And though he was reluctant to sing the praises of any Talbot, Liam had to admit that the addition of the two siblings had made the Puppy Pack a more formidable presence in the town.

So Liam felt content in feeling settled. For two months, things were as peaceful as they could be in a town that harbored a rather large and growing supernatural community. More and more people arrived in town drawn by the Nemeton and Beacon Hill’s overall tolerance policy for the supernatural. Of course, there were some small adjustment issues, but it was a mostly smooth process for everyone. Even school was better as more and more students felt comfortable with admitting their supernatural status.

There quite a few wendigos and were creatures in the school. There was even another banshee. But the newest banshee avoided them like the plague. Well, all of them except Theo. For some reason, while she made it no secret that she didn’t like the rest of them, she was unusually pleasant when it came to Theo. At first, Liam was jealous and thought she wanted to make a move, but then he remembered the other banshee in their life and how she also paid special attention to Theo. That was probably something they should be paying attention, kind of like the whole bond he had with Theo... But it was something they would worry about another day. Because today, he had to deal with something deciding to disrupt the peace that had settled on their sleepy little town.

Sheriff Stilinski had reluctantly called them in because of a series of animal-related deaths that seemed to coincide with the arrival of a new pack in town. At first, Liam was worried about the new pack trying to encroach on their territory, but they seemed to prefer the outskirts of the preserve. And they weren’t causing any problems. At least that was the prevailing attitude until the first body showed up, followed by several more. Now, it was a problem.

“So we think it’s the new pack, huh?” Theo asked, leaning forward to rest his weight on his knees. “Have we met with their alpha yet? Do they have an alpha?”

“Reportedly but unfortunately the only witness we have to the attack died from their injuries only a few hours after we found them. But they did say something about red eyes,” Sheriff Stilinski said, sighing heavily. “There have been eight deaths in the past two weeks. I didn’t want to bring you in on this because these murders are particularly brutal, but I don’t think we have any other choice.”

“Relax, Sheriff, this is like our job,” Liam shrugged. He sensed more than saw Theo rolling his eyes and sharing a glance with Mason and Alec. Judgmental jerks. “We’ll patrol tonight in two groups and see if we can track down this pack.”

“Patrol?” Alec repeated, arching an eyebrow. “How very Scooby gang of us.”

“Just for that you’re with Brett,” Liam retorted. Alec snorted. A sound that was echoed by Mason, the Sheriff, and Theo. “What?”

“We all know who the groups are going to be,” Mason shook his head. “It’s going to be you, me, Theo and Corey. And then Brett, Nolan, Alec and Lori.”

“No,” Liam protested before stopping for a minute. “Okay, yeah. But not for any reason that you’re thinking of.”

“You mean you’re not thinking that keeping me and Mason close to you would be the only way to make sure that we’re safe. Also Mason and I rarely go anywhere without Corey so that was just a given. You also want to keep Brett and Alec far away from you because the three of you are literal children when you’re together and it’s distracting as all hell?” Theo asked, smirking and looking unfairly attractive while doing so. Would it kill the man to try not being sexy? Could he try? Also, did he always have to be right?

“Fine, I’ll split us up differently.”

“Hell no,” Alec protested. “I’m good with the natural order of things. You all go on your disgusting double date posing as a patrol. The rest of us will hunt down the rogue wolves.”

Liam resisted the urge to flip the younger teen off. His patience and restraint were rewarded with a sweet kiss on his cheek from Theo and Alec getting hit upside the head by his awesome boyfriend. Liam loved that beautiful jerk.

“Should we call Scott or Stiles?” Mason asked, ignoring the bickering weres.

“Nah,” Liam dismissed. “Scott’s got midterms and stuff. And Stiles is busy with the FBI and nursing his broken in the closet heart.”

“Hey,” John protested. “That’s my son you’re talking about.”

“Where was the lie?”

John hummed thoughtfully. “There wasn’t one, but that’s not the point. He’s very... emotional about his breakup with Lydia. And not for nothing, he’s found a way to pin this on Theo as opposed to the actual reason why Lydia broke up with him. The mental gymnastics that took was fairly impressive.”

“I bet,” Theo said, rolling his eyes. “I get being in the closet, but Stiles might want to consider setting up a permanent residence in Narnia at this point. There’s denial, and then there’s him and Derek. I mean they’re pretty much a lost cause here. ”

Though Liam would never say it out loud, he agreed. The Puppy Pack were late to the game when it came to Sterek but those few days with the whole McCall pack together were enlightening. It also was the catalyst for Lydia to break up with Stiles. She refused to be another means of hiding their feelings for one another. So she broke up with him with the hopes that it would push him towards Derek since the pair had opened communication once again. But it didn’t. Last Liam heard, Derek was bouncing back and forth between New Mexico and Beacon Hills and Stiles was still in denial in Virginia.

And he meant the last he heard. He didn’t check in with Stiles much these days. Despite his albeit incredibly reluctant acceptance of Theo into the pack, he was still suspicious of everything the chimera did. Liam learned early on if he was going to maintain a friendship with Stiles, he was going to have to avoid the topic of Theo entirely, but that didn’t work when the older teen took Liam’s reluctance to talk about his boyfriend as a sign that they were on the outs. They haven’t spoken since Liam threw his phone against the wall in a fit of rage after Stiles suggested that Liam would be better off without the dead weight of Theo in his life.

He felt Theo’s hand cover his pulling him out of his thoughts. Liam smiled, turning their hands, so their fingers intertwined. His life would never be better without the chimera in it. He looked up to meet his boyfriend’s concerned gaze. Liam squeezed their joined hands lightly before focusing on the Sheriff once again.

“We’ll call Peter and Derek and let them know what’s going on. If these rogue wolves are the ones that are killing people, then we might need them. But I’m hoping we can talk to them. Who knows? We might be worrying for no reason.”

“Famous last words,” Alec muttered. 

* * *

 

Theo had a bad feeling. It wasn’t unusual when Liam was the one coming up with plans, but there was something about this whole situation that seemed… off. He did understand his boyfriend’s idea of just finding the new pack and talking it out. Just because there was another pack in town didn’t necessarily mean that they were murdering innocents. But it also didn’t mean that they weren’t. So Theo understood the need for diplomacy and caution. But there was a churning in his gut that told him that this wasn’t right. There was something about the crime scene photos. There was brutality that seemed both foreign and yet familiar. He didn’t understand it, but he knew that it scared him in ways he still wasn't familiar with. 

But he didn’t want that fear to spread to the others, so he kept quiet. He followed slightly in the middle of their patrol pack. Corey and Mason were keeping up the rear already invisible while Liam and Alec were at the front. After they called Derek, he suggested that he and Peter tag along. Derek ended up with Brett, Lori and Nolan, and took Peter with him since he was the only one who had half a chance at controlling his wayward uncle. Plus there was the fact that Peter creeped Theo out a little. He was never overtly mean or even snarky like he was with the others. There was just something about the interest the older man showed him that seemed on the edge of bizarre that Theo was trying to avoid these days. Mason said it was just that Peter was the pack’s weird uncle. He just had the ones he was extra weird with. Naturally, that did not make Theo feel any better.

He was hoping that if the rogue wolves were found tonight, it would be by the other group. Not because he liked the idea of any member of his pack being in more danger than him but because Derek and Peter were more likely to be able to do what needed to be done. Because that bad feeling was only growing and Theo knew it wouldn’t end well if they were in a showdown with this pack. It would be best just to stay as far away as possible. Thankfully, it seemed Brett and the others were on the right track. So Theo kept quiet and let Liam lead them in the complete opposite direction of the last known sighting of the mysterious pack that appeared a few weeks before. It would all be okay.

“Wait,” Theo stopped short, hearing a muffled noise of protest as Mason and Corey ran into him. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear….” Alec trailed off as the sound of multiple heartbeats reached their ears. He shifted, and Theo watched as golden eyes flickered around the clearing. They were surrounded. “How is that possible? We didn’t hear them coming!”

Theo swallowed. They were controlling their heartbeats. They were actively blocking themselves from being detected by supernatural hearing. He didn’t know many wolves that could do that. That awful feeling intensified until he felt like he was going to vomit. But he had to keep it together. Liam could look after himself, but Alec was still young and not experienced in a fight. Not to mention Corey and Mason. He had to keep his pack safe no matter what.

“You be safe too,” Liam whispered quiet enough for only Theo to hear. The chimera merely smirked in his boyfriend’s direction. Liam raised an eyebrow before flashing his eyes at the loudest of the heartbeats. “Alright, you made it a point to surround us. We’re sufficiently intimidated. Why not come out and talk?”

Theo tensed as shapes moved forward out of the shadows. There were at least four of them, and he knew there were more hanging back. He tried to pick up on scents, but there were too many. It was too confusing. They weren’t just dealing with wolves here. There was more to them than just werewolf.

“You wanted to talk?” a large man asked, drawing their attention. His eyes shifted, glowing golden in the night. “That’s adorable. But we don’t want to talk to you. We want to talk to your Alpha. The True Alpha.”

“He’s not here right now,” Theo quipped. “But if you leave a message, I’m sure he’ll get back to you whenever he’s not busy saving the world and puppies.” He heard one of the people flanking the big guy snicker. Theo let his gaze flicker in his direction. The man wasn’t that much older than them. He was probably somewhere around Parrish’s age with dark eyes that glittered with too much emotion. He didn’t seem bothered by the slight against the leader of their pack either. Theo narrowed his eyes glancing at the big guy once again.

“What do you mean he’s not here?”

“Did you even bother to do research?” Alec asked, narrowing his eyes. “The True Alpha doesn’t even live here anymore. So if you’re here to try and take his power, good luck! It’s not exactly an original plan, and it failed before.”

“Really?” Theo hissed. The younger wolf shrugged. Theo had to admit the brat did have a point. He sighed and focused on the group in front of them. “So if that was your genius plan, you might as well move on. The True Alpha isn’t here, but Beacon Hills is off limits. So leave now before we have to get the authorities involved.”

“Authorities?” the man that laughed earlier asked with a hint of amusement still present in his voice. “That’s almost hilarious. You think we’re scared of human police?”

“So which one of you is the leader exactly?” Liam asked, his eyes shifting between the big guy and the slightly shorter but leaner man behind him. The second man flashed a pair of red eyes. Theo took an involuntary step back at sight, cursing himself for the reaction. “Oh, well that answers that question. Sorry to disappoint you all but what you want isn’t here and won’t be back anytime soon.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, my dear angry little wolf. I think you’ll find we found exactly who we were looking for,” the alpha corrected, laughing again. “The first bitten beta of a true alpha, his adopted beta wolf, a druid in training, and the truly the greatest of all prizes, the last of the Dread Doctors’ greatest creations: the chimeras.”

Theo swallowed but fought to keep his emotions under control. Not many people knew about chimeras. It wasn’t common knowledge. Most people just assumed he was a werewolf when they first met and he never did anything to change their minds. But these people knew about chimeras. And they said more than one, that meant they knew about… he fought the urge to turn and look at Corey, but he was aware of Corey and Mason shifting back somewhat. Good.

“Chimera? What’s that?” Liam spoke up. His heart was surprisingly steady. Theo had been teaching him how to control it. It seemed the younger wolf had taken to his lessons well. Too bad Theo was struggling at the moment. Something wasn’t right.

“Don’t insult my intelligence,” the alpha spat. “I know all about chimeras. The invisible one is hiding in the back there with your druid. I do not need him… yet. I’m mostly interested in you, Theo.” Theo shivered as the red eyes landed on him. “The one that is neither wolf nor coyote. You’re the one I want. The chimera of death.”

Liam growled and shifted as did Alec. “That’s not who he is. Also, you can’t have him.”

“I wasn’t asking,” the alpha replied flippantly.

Theo sensed movement out the corner of his eye, but he was too slow to warn Liam and Alec about the mountain ash that was suddenly showering over them. The ash landed in a circle but not before some of it fell on the unsuspecting wolves. Theo felt as though it was his skin that was burning as Liam writhed in pain. He wanted to help them, but he also didn’t want to take his eyes off the rogue wolves. Besides, he saw them vanish and knew that Corey and Mason had it under control. So his job was to distract. Which might not be the best choice because he, himself, was incredibly distracted at the moment.

They used mountain ash. They could touch and use mountain ash. That was impossible for supernatural creatures. Only people who were immune to the effects of mountain ash were banshees, hellhounds, druids and….

“You’re chimeras,” Theo whispered, feeling suddenly ill. “But that can’t be. The Dread Doctors are gone. We’re the last ones. Who the hell are you?”

“Just what you said,” the alpha said. His eyes were flashing again but this time they looked snake-like. Theo took another step back.

“What the hell are you?!”

“Think of me as an older brother,” the man replied, tilting his head to the side. “My name is Adam because I was the first child they groomed. They told me all the same things they told you. But they taught me, Theo. They taught me how to do what they do. Then they got scared. They got scared of everything I could be.”

Theo’s eyes were wide. He knew he wasn’t the first entirely successful chimera. He knew it, but it was still shocking to hear and to see. He thought back to his childhood. How anytime he asked a question it was shut down by the Surgeon and the Pathologist. It was the Geneticist who gave him the books that he used to teach himself. She was the one that would let him shadow her as she did experiments. And now he got why. They shut him down because they didn’t want him to turn out like the first. That’s also why the Geneticist encouraged his other activities. She didn’t want him to be like him. He suddenly saw his childhood in a whole new and bizarre light. But that was for further examining when he was safely home with Alec snoring in the next room and Liam drooling on his shoulder.

“What do you mean they were scared of you?”

“It means, dear little brother, that they were scared of my potential. I was a threat to them and their stupid plan to bring back the Beast. So they tried to have me killed. Try being the key operative word here. It didn’t take well. I escaped, and I swore I would have my revenge one day.” Adam stepped closer, and Theo once again backed away. The older man smirked. “Now imagine my surprise when I hear that they managed to bring the Beast back and now they’re dead. And it was with help from the True Alpha and their second success, little Theo Raeken.

“So now that my plans for revenge are regrettably unfulfilled, I found myself in need a new life purpose. Well, a purpose other than creating a pack of my very own. I’ll give the Dread Doctors one thing. It is so much easier to create a pack than it is to recruit them.”

Theo swallowed the lump in his stomach as he looked around. There were more of them appearing now. They dropped the charade, and he could hear their heartbeats. At least ten, possibly more. And all of them were more animal than human. He saw several eyes flashing in the darkness. None were blue. But that meant nothing. His eyes weren’t blue, and he had the deaths of several innocents on his claws.

“You killed those people, didn’t you?”

“Of course, I did,” Adam replied, eyeing him with some weird sort of fraternal pride and affection. It was even creepier than the way Peter looked at him. He made a note to apologize to the older wolf after he took several showers and had more than a few sessions with Marin. “You’ve been so involved with your little family and your pack. I had to find some way to get you to notice me.”

“Why?”

“Why do you think, Theo? You’re a smart boy.”

“You… want me. You want me to join your pack?”

“Correction, I want you to come back where you belong. You’re not like the rest of your pack, Theo. You’re not even like the other chimera in your group. You’re so much more than that. You truly were the Dread Doctor’s perfect little weapon. Between your strength and cunning and my brains, we’ll be unstoppable. So what do you say?”

“No,” Theo said, his voice was quiet, but it sounded like a boom in the tense silence around them.

“What?”

“Did I stutter? I said no. I don’t want to be a part of your chimera death pack. I don’t want anything to do with the Dread Doctors anymore. I found my pack, and I’m not leaving them for you and your traveling freak show.”

“Oh, Theo,” Adam sighed. “I see what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to fit in with them. You think they care for you. You think that you belong with them. You think they trust you. I thought the same way once. I found a pack of werewolves when I escaped the Doctors. They took me in but eventually they turned on me because I wasn’t like them. I’m not supernatural. I’m a science experiment. And so are you.”

Theo didn’t want to admit it, but the words stung him. It was a particularly sore spot for him, especially with the inclusion of the Talbots. They were born wolves. They had their abilities from birth making them even stronger than Liam and Alec who easily outclassed Theo. He wasn’t like them. He was different. He was wrong. And one day they would realize that.

“You know it’s true,” Adam continued. “You’re a science project that has killed before, and we both know you’ll do it again. No matter how hard you try to pretend otherwise. It’s only a matter of time before they’re throwing you aside. I want you to think about what side of the fence you’ll be on when that happens. We’ll be in touch.”

With that said, Theo could only watch as the pack stepped back fading away into the shadows they came from. His mind was reeling. There was a pack. A pack of chimeras led by the first experiment. Theo didn’t even know he was shaking until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He flinched, recoiling away from the sudden touch.

“Hey, Theo, it’s okay,” Corey said, holding his visible hands up. “It’s okay. It’s just us.”

The older chimera ran a hand over his face. He glanced behind the chameleon to see Liam and Alec standing up with still healing wounds on their faces. Melissa was going to kill them when she saw what happened to Alec. But neither wolf looked at all concerned with their injuries. They were both staring at him. He could feel their worry. Well, he could smell it with Alec and feel it with Liam. He swallowed.

“I’m fine,” he choked out. “I’m... fine.”

“What the hell were those guys?” Liam asked, holding still as Mason continued to dust off his clothes. “How could they control mountain ash?”

“They’re chimeras,” Theo said, aware that his voice sounded empty. He rattled off the events in an almost clinical fashion. The way that the Dread Doctors told him to report. To the point. Succinct. With no unnecessary or frivolous details. No emotion. No sentiment. Nothing but the facts of the situation at hand.

“Theo!”

He flinched as Liam’s voice was suddenly closer than it was before. He realized that his boyfriend was now standing in front of him and had apparently calling his name for longer than should be necessary. Corey, Alec, and Mason were all watching with equally worried expressions.

“Don’t do this to me, T. Don’t start shutting down. Don’t let that guy get into your head. He’s lying to you.”

“He doesn’t know us,” Alec chimed in. “You know we don’t care about any of that. Our pack is made up of all kinds of oddballs. You think you being a chimera is the deal breaker? Corey is a chimera too. We would have to pry him from Mason’s cold dead hands to kick him out of the Pack.”

“Facts.”

“And Liam is way scarier than Mason. So it’s safe to say you’re not going anywhere.”

“Also facts.”

Theo knew what they were saying was the truth. He didn’t even need to listen to understand. They genuinely believed they would always care about him. But... he also knew that Adam was right too. Yes, the McCall Pack was a fascinating composite of supernatural and otherwise creatures. There were wolves, coyotes, chameleons, banshees, and kanimas. He knew that his status as both and yet neither wasn’t the deal breaker. But it still felt like it was.

Experience taught him that love did have limits and he had done a lot of awful things to everyone here. How long before one of them looked at this new chimera pack and started remembering who he was not that long ago. How long before they remembered that Stiles was still not so secretly suspicious of him? There was no way they would take his side over Stiles. That was a fact. So it was only a matter of time.

“Oh, Theo,” Corey’s low, mournful tone snapped him out of his thoughts once again. He blinked when he saw the younger teens watching him warily.

“We should check in with the others,” he forced himself to say. “I doubt Adam will pull anything more tonight, but they should get a heads up about a whole pack of wild chimeras running around.”

“Yeah,” Liam murmured, still radiating worry with a faint edge of panic. “Let’s go home.”

Theo followed the far more somber parade out of the woods. Once they got to his truck, he  tossed the keys to a stunned Mason and climbed into the back. Alec and Liam scrambled to squeeze in, narrowly beating Corey who eventually slumped in the passenger seat. But even from where he sat practically smothered between the two werewolves, he could see Mason and Corey both sending worried glances through the rearview mirrors.

He wanted to say something to put their minds at ease. To reassure them that he was okay. But he wasn’t. Adam and his pack shook him. Because he knew that it was going to change everything. The family and friends he built would be gone. But he couldn’t go with Adam’s pack. Because that wasn’t who he was anymore. So in the end, he would have nothing. He shuddered and let Liam guide his head to the beta’s shoulder. Usually, the scent and feel of Liam around him calmed him. The younger wolf was as much Theo’s anchor as he was Liam’s. But tonight there was no comfort to be found. Because tonight he could feel how temporary this was. This wasn’t his forever. He always knew it but tonight confirmed it. 

Everything was going to change.

* * *

 

Noah Stilinski learned long ago to accept that it wasn’t a negative reflection of his skill as a law enforcement officer that the town was saved by a bunch of teenagers and young adults on a periodic basis. That, of course, didn’t stop him from wanting to keep said teenagers and young adults as far away from the madness as possible, especially since one of those was his kid and a kid that was practically like another son. And even with Stiles and Scott out of Beacon Hills, Noah found that he still had reason to worry. Several reasons in the aptly named Puppy Pack but also especially in one Theo Raeken.

That kid had wormed his way under Noah’s skin much like Scott McCall several years ago. Noah would say he resented it… but he didn’t like lying to himself. It wasn’t that he didn’t care about the rest of the kids, it’s just that the chimera had a self-sacrificial streak a mile long. Most of his worries centered on reminding Theo that people cared enough about him to want him healthy and whole. And Noah would be lying if he tried to say he didn’t know exactly where that mindset came from.

Melissa wasn’t the only one who remembered what the Raekens were like before they disappeared one day. He always had his suspicions about the way Jonathan and Gloria Raeken treated their son, but he couldn’t find proof. And the one thing that hadn’t changed about Theo from then to now was the unshakeable loyalty to those he called family. Even family that didn’t treat him right. It took time to reconcile the smarmy, sarcastic and murderous chimera with the quiet, sensitive and intelligent boy he used to be but Noah got there eventually.

Theo had grown on him in the past few months. He knew how much havoc the teen wreaked on the pack before he went to Hell but it was hard to see that in the goofy, slightly nerdy (okay, totally nerdy) teenager that adored the ground Liam and the rest of the Puppy Pack walked on. And forget it when it came to Melissa and Chris. And the feeling was very much mutual by now. But there were these moments that Noah would catch where it seemed like Theo wondered when it was going to turn on him or be yanked away. He hated when the kid looked like that. Thankfully, he had seen it less over the last month or so.

That’s why it nearly broke his heart to see that hated look plastered all over Theo’s face as the pack trooped into his office the next day. He didn’t miss the worried looks they were all giving him, even Brett looked concerned, and that kid wasn’t even mildly worried when he was in danger of bleeding out during the war. He had a feeling that whatever he was going to hear was going to make him deeply unhappy…. He was not disappointed.

“A chimera pack? Again?”

“Yeah, and bigger and badder than ever before!” Mason said, obviously trying to inject some levity into the room. But it fell on deaf ears. The druid in training sighed, settling back in his seat. Corey patted him on the shoulder from his spot hovering between Mason and Theo’s chairs. “But yeah, it’s pack. Only they were created by this Adam guy.”

“He was the first,” Theo said, speaking for the first time since they arrived half an hour before. His voice was soft yet hollow. “He was the first chimera kid they worked on. Well successful one. He did this to get my attention.”

“Yeah, well he has _our_ attention now,” Liam growled. “He’s really not going to like it.”

Noah watched as Theo’s gaze drifted from his hands that were previously consuming his thoughts to his boyfriend. There were a myriad of emotions that flit across the chimera’s face and none of them were good. He nodded slowly and returned to staring at his hands like they held the answers to the universe.

“I got why we were being diplomatic before but now we know the truth,” Brett snapped. “They’re a bunch of murdering assholes and they’re messing with one of ours. How much more do we need before we go after them?”

“And what exactly are we going to do if we go after them?” Corey asked, calmly.

“I don’t know! But this... I hate this!” Brett huffed, slumping against the wall behind him. “This is such bullshit.”

“For once, I actually agree with Brett,” Liam chimed in, earning a soft snort from Theo. It was a small gesture but one that briefly broke the uncharacteristic tension in the room. For a moment, the five teens seemed to relax.

And then Parrish was walking through the doors wearing a troubled expression of his own. His gaze flickered towards Theo before looking at Noah. “We got another crime scene.”

Noah sighed, watching as the moment snapped and the weight seemed to settle over them once again. He rose from his seat indicating that the teens should go with him. It made more sense to take them to the scene directly. Maybe there was something they could sense that would help them get an advantage over Theo’s newfound and unwanted family.

The ride to the crime scene was just as silent and tense as the meeting in his office. Corey had somehow managed to get between Liam and Theo with Brett flanking the other chimera and ushering them into Parrish’s car. This left Mason and Liam to ride with Noah.

“How’s he doing? And be honest.”

“Not good,” Liam ran a hand over his face. “He’s retreating. It’s weird. This connection between us has been there for… it seems like forever but it didn’t start getting really clear until the night he took Gabe’s pain. Ever since then it’s like I always know how’s he’s feeling or where is he. But now… it’s like it’s muted. It’s like he’s underwater. He’s there but I can barely sense him.”

“That’s very not good,” Mason muttered. Noah quietly agreed.

A few moments later he parked behind Parrish’s jeep. He figured they were at the right place as there was a quietly seething Brett pacing back and forth, throwing furtive looks at the crime scene behind them. There were a few other deputies milling about but for the most part it was quiet. That is until the door to the house burst open and Theo came stumbling out with Corey hard on his heels. The chimeras made it to the edge of the property before Theo was doubled over and throwing up what looked like his breakfast, lunch and dinner from the past few weeks. Brett watched them with a frown twisting his lips though he made no move to follow. Noah started to question it when Liam decided to barrel forward towards them only to be forcibly stopped.

“Mountain ash?!” he growled, clearly wanting to get to his very distressed boyfriend.

“You didn’t think I was standing here for my health, did you?”

“Thought did cross my mind,” Liam hissed, directing his anger towards Brett. The taller wolf responded to the bait, growling at the other teen and flashing yellow eyes. Noah rolled his eyes and stepped between the two before the claws and fangs came out.

“Boys, I think we have more important things to worry about at the moment, no?”

Liam huffed but Noah noticed his claws retracting. Brett made no response other than to roll silver eyes. Whatever tension between them died the moment Parrish joined them a few minutes later. The deputy threw a glance over his shoulder at where their chimeras were standing huddled together. It didn’t look like words were being said but whatever he saw in that house shook Theo worse than anything Noah had ever seen before.

“What’s going on?” Liam asked, warily. His gaze flickering between Jordan and his boyfriend. “What was in the house?”

“Teresa Anderson,” Mason answered for them. Noah blinked. He hadn’t even noticed that the teen had walked away much less had time to enter the house.

“Who’s Teresa Anderson?”

“Seriously, Dumbar?! You are the worst substitute alpha ever. Teresa is the banshee at school. The only other banshee we currently know besides Lydia,” Brett retorted. “I thought you would know her especially since she’s the one that only likes… Theo.” Brett closed his mouth looking at Jordan. “Adam killed her didn’t he?

“Yeah,” Jordan sighed. “It’s just like the other murders. Except this time, they left a message behind. Or rather a name.”

“Theo.”

“That would be it,” Parrish nodded. “They wrote his name in blood. Her blood.”

“Sick bastard,” Brett muttered. “What are we going to do? This guy isn’t going to stop. Clearly. He’s going to escalate the crazy. He went after someone who doesn’t even have anything to do with us. She’s just nice to Theo. How long before he goes after one of us?”

“You scared, Talbot?” Liam snarled, clearly on edge.

“Yes. Scared about what one of us dying like that will do to Theo,” Brett snapped. “I get that you’re worried about Theo and that’s making you angry but get over your shit, Dumbar. You’re not the only one who here gives a shit about Theo. Stop acting like you are.” He paused, raking a hand through his hair. “Mase, you think you can clear the ash?”

“Already did it,” Mason shrugged. “I just needed Liam to get his head out of his ass before he goes over there and upsets Theo more than he already is. Also FYI Corey’s protective instincts have been full on activated and he’s not going to let you near him if you’re bickering. He’s actually pretty damn scary to say he pretends he’s all innocent.”

Noah didn’t doubt that for a second. The chameleon was quieter than his pack and often people were quicker to dismiss him as a threat. But he knew that it was the quiet ones that usually left room for question. The quiet ones were the ones who fought the fiercest to protect what was theirs. And it would take a particularly stupid person to not realize that Mason, Theo and Liam by association were Corey’s.

“That means drop the bullshit when you get over there. And I mean both of you,” Mason added, when the two wolves continued to stare blankly at him. “This isn’t about your egos or who cares about Theo the most. You both do. Brett wouldn’t be a burgeoning chemistry prodigy if he didn’t care and Liam? Seriously? We know.”

Noah snorted at the chastised boys. He watched them nod in the other’s direction before finally moving towards where Theo and Corey were still standing together. It looked like they both gave up on trying to talk. Instead, Corey had an arm slung around Theo’s shoulders offering comfort the only way he could at the moment. Despite how protective he was, Corey didn’t hesitate to transfer Theo to Liam’s care. The other boys formed a barrier around the beta and the chimera effectively blocking them from anyone’s prying gaze. Satisfied that Theo was secured, Noah turned to Jordan who looked troubled.

“What else?”

“Deputy Danvers just called,” he replied, keeping his voice low, knowing that more than one of the boys was likely to be listening in on their conversation. “She said that the Feds called. They’re officially on this case now. Two of them are supposed to be arriving in two days.”

“Your face tells me I’m not going to like who’s coming,” Noah groaned. “Let me guess Agents McCall and Stilinski.”

“They’ve taken a special interest in the case,” Parrish added, dryly.

“Of course, they have. And I know my son will be particularly all over Theo’s name being written in blood on the wall. Stiles is a damn good agent but I honestly wonder if he can actually be objective here. Theo pushes a button that Stiles can’t shake off. Hell, he’s even decided that Theo is to blame for Lydia breaking up with him.”

“Wait, Lydia and Stiles… broke up?” Jordan asked, hesitantly. “Is Lydia… are they okay?” Noah tried to cover his laugh with a cough but judging from the red creeping into Jordan’s cheeks, he failed miserably. “I’m just… you know I know how much she cares about Stiles. I was just wondering if she… they’re okay.”

“Why don’t you give her a call tonight? I’m sure she would love to hear from a friend,” Noah suggested, taking pity on the embarrassed hellhound. Jordan flushed but a small smile played across his lips.

Oh yeah, Noah was definitely not getting a ‘Dad of the Year’ mug from Stiles this year but he was surprisingly okay with it. He loved his son but this denial of his was going to end up hurting a lot more people than just him and Derek in the long run. And it didn’t hurt that Noah was particularly fond of the two most likely to get hurt in this mess. If he could at least bring Lydia some relief in the form of finally pushing Jordan to make a move, then so be it. At least he had one of them under control. Because he had a feeling it was going to get worse before it got any better for Theo.


	2. Running Away

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who's read and commented so far. I'm back with the final chapter. Sorry it took so long to get this one up. I was in a bit of a writer's funk. But I hope that this works for an ending. I still have a lot more ideas for the future but they're definitely going to be one shots.

The great thing about dating your anchor was that they were most likely always going to be around you. It was an even better feeling when you were their anchor in return. Of the seemingly thousands of things he’s come to love about Theo and their relationship, that was vying for number one. That weird bond that let him know when Theo’s emotions were out of whack also let Theo know when his anger was about to take over. Liam didn’t understand how it came to be but it was there and he had grown used to it. Then it was muted by the appearance of Adam and Theo’s subsequent retreat behind his emotional walls. But the death of Teresa brought those walls crashing down and the bond was constantly roaring with emotions. So many emotions all vying for attention.

Liam felt overwhelmed by his boyfriend’s feelings but he didn’t dare shy away from them. This was the first time he felt Theo in days and he was going to hold onto those feelings even if his wolf was howling, pleading with him to rip apart the one that dared to hurt the chimera they both loved. He was on edge and Theo was too far gone in his own head to effectively pull him back. Liam knew that and he tried to dial it back for the sake of his boyfriend but it was so hard. Especially when people kept pushing his freaking buttons.

That said button was pretty much Theo was not the point. The point was that Liam was minutes away from ripping Stiles and Scott’s dad apart with his bare hands and he didn’t give a damn what his alpha thought. Well… until his alpha showed up.

“Scott?” Stiles stood up as his best friend strolled the door casually. “What are you doing here?”

“I live here,” Scott shrugged, giving his usual lopsided smile that made him appears to be more oblivious than he really was. But Liam was familiar with his alpha. He knew that Scott picked up on a lot more than he claimed. The sharp look in his eyes was a sign of that. “Also this does involve a member of our Pack, Stiles. So of course I’m here.” He stopped to look around the room. “Wait, where is Theo?”

“Upstairs in his room,” Melissa answered, tersely. She was busy glaring a hole in her ex-husband’s head. Liam got that feeling all too well since he was doing the same with Stiles. Chris was behind her, rubbing her shoulders and also ignoring glaring at him. “I’m just waiting for Agents McCall and Stilinski here to give me a good reason why I should let them interrogate Theo when it’s beyond obvious that he doesn’t have anything do with this.”

Liam tensed as he heard Stiles snort. It was a quiet sound but enough to spark the growing fire in Liam’s stomach. How dare he?

“Melissa, I know that you’re… protective of Theo,” Rafael started. “But his name was written with the victim’s blood. It’s a common fact that the latest victim was enamored with Theo. We just want to talk to him about what he knows.”

“He knows exactly what we told you,” Alec replied, cutting off anything Melissa was going to retort with. “We were all there the night he spoke with Adam. And we were here with Derek, Peter and the rest of the Pack when Teresa was getting killed. That’s at least seven people you would find more reliable than Theo. And that’s including Peter Hale who to my admittedly limited McCall pack knowledge has done way more awful things than Theo and yet he’s trusted somehow over the kid that was manipulated.”

Stiles cleared his throat. “For the record, I don’t trust Peter either. But that’s beside the point. We still need to talk to Theo. The longer you all block him, the longer this investigation takes and the more heat comes down on him. We’re actually trying to help him.”

“Yeah, right,” Liam scoffed. “You? Trying to help Theo?”

“Liam…?”

“Don’t,” Liam retorted, flashing golden eyes in Stiles’ direction. “Adam said he was doing this to get Theo’s attention. So instead of harassing him for information he doesn’t have, why aren’t you busy trying to track down Adam?”

“Why does he want Theo’s attention?” Scott asked, his brow furrowed.  

“He wants me to join his chimera death pack,” Theo’s voice caused them all to jump.

Liam swallowed the lump in his throat at the sight of his normally larger than life boyfriend looking miserable and small. He was wearing the lacrosse hoodie that he “borrowed indefinitely” from Liam’s room when he was recovering from the hunters. Back then, it was a loose fit. Several months of living in his truck ran him down. But two months living in a home with a mother hen and pseudo brother who wasn’t afraid to snitch if he thought it was for your own good had Theo filling out once again. Liam was happy that the hoodie was starting to be too small once again. But now… he knew physically Theo was fine. But his emotions made him seem... vulnerable.

Liam was torn between bundling him up and hiding him away from the world that was determined to harass him today and hunting Adam and his whole damn Chimera pack down. Maybe he could do both. Corey would totally help with the whole hiding thing and Brett was always up for a fight.

“What do you mean he wants you to join his pack?” Rafael asked, standing up. Liam snapped his head towards the older agent at the sudden movement.  

“Exactly what I said,” Theo explained, sounding exhausted. “He said that he wants me to join him or more people will die. People close to me. People I care about.”

“When did he say that?” Alec asked, warily. “You haven’t left your room all day. He didn’t come here… did he?”

“He text me,” Theo held up his phone with one hand while raking his free hand through his hair. “So it turns out, keeping the same number since the Dread Doctors was around wasn’t a good idea. He’s been… texting me all day. He sent me pictures… videos.” He held the phone out to Stiles. The agent took it. “I don’t want it anymore. Keep it. I don’t need it anyway.”

Liam felt his blood run cold and he leapt from his seat to stop the suddenly retreating chimera. He caught Theo by the wrist and held on tightly.

“What do you mean you don’t need it anymore?”

“I’m going to go with him,” Theo confirmed, keeping his eyes trained on his sneakers.

“No!”

“Liam,” Theo’s voice trembled and the misery radiating from him was heartbreaking. “I have to do this. People are dying. They’re dying and it’s my fault. I can’t… I don’t want that anymore, Liam.”

“Theo, no,” Liam protested, trying to pull the chimera in. But Theo took a step back, clearly not wanting the comfort. But Liam needed to comfort him. Theo’s feelings… _hurt_. He felt raw. And he knew he was only feeling a fraction of what Theo was going through.

“These chimeras are dangerous and unpredictable. They’re basically a pack full of me! And I’m not going to let them run loose on our town, on our home. I’m not going to wait for him to decide to come after our pack next. He said that if I go with him, he’ll go away. So I’m going to go with him.”

“Theo,” Alec protested, rising to his feet. “There has to be another way.”

“No! Okay? There isn’t! I’ve run through every possible scenario and short of us straight up murdering an entire pack full of chimeras there isn’t another way!” Theo snapped, raking a hand through his hair desperation rolling off of him. “He knows where I go to school and who I talk to during the day. He knows where I live. He knows about you, Melissa and Chris.” Liam swallowed when Theo’s eyes met his. “He knows about you. I can’t lose you.”

Liam blinked at the annoying stinging in his eyes. He needed to argue. He needed to do whatever he could to keep Theo with him. Because there was no way this was going to end well with Theo going off with Adam. He knew his boyfriend struggled with what he had done and the damage he caused himself and the pack. His biggest struggle was ultimately trying to move past it. Adam and his pack weren’t going to help Theo they were going to make him revert back to how he used to be. And now that Liam knew what the feelings were, he knew that Theo was never truly happy even back then. But he was happy before Adam came around. So he had to stop him. But….

“Theo,” Chris startled them all by suddenly speaking his foster son’s name. The chimera turned a similarly teary gaze in the hunter’s direction. Chris mustered a smile that Theo tried to echo but failed miserably “Come here, kiddo.” There was a brief moment of hesitation before Theo gave in.

Liam watched as Theo walked straight into Chris’ welcoming embrace. The hunter wrapped his arms around Theo tightly providing a port in the emotional storm the chimera had been in since the chimera pack revealed themselves what seemed like weeks ago but was only four days ago. Liam felt calm for the first time before his connection with Theo was suddenly shorted out again. He narrowed his eyes just as Theo started to slump in Chris’ embrace. Liam darted forward only narrowly beating Scott who also rushed forward to grab the falling teen.

“What the hell?” Scott murmured as Liam cradled Theo in his arms. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with him. It was almost like he just fell asleep. But Liam has spent the last three nights holding Theo as nightmares and his own brain kept him awake. So there was no way he just drifted off standing up. Unless…

Chris shrugged and held up an empty syringe. “That should keep him down long enough for us to come up with a plan that doesn’t involve one of my kids running off to join a pack of murdering nutjobs in the hope of keeping his family safe.”

Liam smirked at the faint surprise that he scented from Stiles and Rafael. And then he was shrugging it all off as he shifted Theo into a more secure hold and carried him up to his room. He laid his precious cargo on the comforter before slumping down beside him. Liam sighed, running a hand through Theo’s hair.

“You keep saying that you can’t lose us but I don’t know how we can make it any clearer that we can’t lose you either. Losing you…. God, Theo, I don’t even want to imagine it,” Liam whispered. He knew that Theo was out and would be for a while but he needed to get this off his chest before he went back down there. “You are so loved, T. Not just by me and of course Corey, Alec and Brett. But Melissa and Chris love you so much. You have a family now. You have a home and it’s not with Adam. It’s with us. It’s with me.”

He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on his boyfriend’s lips. “I know that your parents hurt you. I know that they’re the reason you don’t get what real love is like. But I will spend the rest of our lives proving it to you, showing you. Just you wait. I’m going to do whatever it takes to prove it to you, baby.”

Liam pressed another kiss against Theo’s lips before pulling away. He was strangely hesitant to leave even though he knew that the chimera was out. Besides he was needed downstairs. He was better off helping them come up with a plan to get Adam’s chimeras out of town and as far away from Theo as humanly possible. Still… he sent a quick text to Corey asking him to come over and make sure Theo stayed in the room. He waited for Corey to confirm that he was on his way before making his way back downstairs to the tension filled living room.

Melissa was in the kitchen having a hushed argument with Rafael that Liam knew better than to listen in on. Besides judging from the way Scott was rolling his eyes, it was more personal than anything to do with the case. So Liam let it go and focused on Chris, Stiles and Scott who were looking at Theo’s phone between them. Alec was watching them all with a worried expression. Liam stepped next to the younger wolf and squeezed his shoulder lightly.

“Okay, so this guy is beyond twisted,” Stiles announced, tossing the phone to the side.

“What’s on the phone?” Alec asked his voice small and hesitant. Chris quickly scooped it up and placed it in his back pocket. Liam frowned, unwittingly copying Alec’s expression. “It’s that bad?”

“Yeah,” Scott answered, looking slightly green. “He’s been stalking Theo for months. Pretty much since the day he got out of hell. He’s had an eye on him for a while. He took pictures. Lots of pictures. This guy is sick.”

“Even when Theo was his most… Theo, he wasn’t this bad,” Stiles said, gagging slightly. “I don’t know if this guy can even be reasoned with.”

“Wait, so you think we should just kill him?” Scott asked his voice flat.

“Scotty, I’m thinking we might not have a choice. You saw the pictures he sent. You saw what he wrote. If you really want to protect Theo and I can’t understand why you would but whatever. But if you really want to protect him and this town that might be an option.”

“But we can’t just kill him. That’s not who we are,” Alec protested.

“He’s killing people, Alec. We might have to step outside the line.”

“No, this is just like Theo all over again,” Scott shook his head. “We didn’t give him a chance either. We killed him. We put him in hell. And he suffered for four months. He’s still suffering now. Maybe all we needed to do was reach out to him and show him another way.”

“Scott, you and your bleeding heart are going to get you killed.” The again went unspoken in the sudden silence in the room but they all heard it. Alec tensed but remained in his seat. Liam felt his eyes shift but decided to let Scott and Stiles battle this out. He needed to know where Scott stood on this issue.

Theo thought that he hid his feelings well but he forgot that Liam was becoming fluent in the unspoken language and feelings of Theo Raeken. He knew that Theo truly believed that one day Stiles’ suspicions of him were going to grow too great and the Pack would side with him over Theo. Deep down Liam knew that wasn’t the case but Scott had an opportunity to prove it. He needed to see how this was going to play out.

“Is that what this is about, Stiles? You still don’t trust Theo. After everything he’s done for all of us and you still don’t trust him. You’re holding onto a grudge against a guy we all had a hand in murdering! You actually want him to go with this guy, don’t you?”

“No!” Stiles countered, stepping to his feet. “Why would you even…? Look, it’s true. I don’t like the guy and I don’t think I ever will. It’s a fact. But the last thing this world needs is him running off with a whole pack of chimeras that are just as bloodthirsty as….” Stiles trailed off, biting his lip hesitantly.

“As who, Stiles?” Liam prodded. “Finish it. Finish the sentence. You don’t want Theo running off with a pack of chimeras as bloodthirsty as whom?”

Stiles looked him in the eye. “As him. At least with the first chimera pack, he was the only real killer in the group.”

“Get out,” Scott’s voice broke the stalemate between Liam and Stiles. The agent turned to look his friend in the eye incredulously.

“Scotty?”

“No. You’re not here to help, Stiles. You don’t want to help Theo. You want proof that you’re right to not trust him. But you’re not going to find it. None of us are stupid! We all know who he is and what he’s done. He has blood on his hands. He’s manipulated us. He tried to destroy this pack. He tried to kill me personally. I’m well aware of Theo’s past. He’s done lots of terrible things. But the thing is we did too. I did too. Josh and Tracey? Their deaths are on my hands too. I’m the one that convinced Deucalion to try and manipulate Theo. He was the one who put the idea of murdering his pack into Theo’s head. I share a part of the responsibility for their deaths. And there’s still the huge fact that we actually did murder Theo. We killed him. Together. As a pack. I hear him begging me for help in my nightmares. And I know it’s not even close to what the hell he experiences.”

“It’s not,” Alec said flatly.

“So if you’re not here to help us keep him safe then you’re….” Scott abruptly trailed off, tilting his head to the side. Liam was about to ask him when he realized what the alpha sensed. They both had been subtly keeping track of the people in the house by listening to their heartbeats. And they both realized that one was missing and had been for a good few minutes.

Liam was on his feet and running up the stairs aware of Scott on his heels. He ran to Theo’s room and found the bed was empty. A cool breeze wafted in through the window that definitely wasn’t open when he left the room.

“He’s gone. Fuck, he’s gone!”

“This doesn’t make sense,” Chris said, from somewhere behind them. “I drugged him. He should be sleeping until at least tomorrow.”

“Theo rarely does what anyone thinks he’s going to do,” Scott mused. He tilted his head to the side as Alec joined them in the empty room. He was holding Chris’ usual kit that held his tranquilizers. His face was a mix of amused fondness mingled with annoyance. The kid was truly an expressive masterpiece.

“I have mentioned that Theo is too damn smart for his own good, right?” Alec asked. “He’s been in your kit.”

“He must’ve switched out the drugs,” Chris shook his head. “He’s always two steps ahead of everyone else. Freaking brat. Alright, everyone grab something of his. We need to track him. And then when I find him, he’s grounded for a week.”

“That’s being generous,” Melissa chimed in. “Try at least a month.”

“Wait, when you say he’s grounded… what does that mean exactly? Because the dude only likes science, protecting Beacon Hills and Liam.”

“That’s precisely what I’m taking away.”

“Great! Theo runs off and I have to suffer,” Liam muttered, feeling a brief moment of levity. Melissa winked at him and he knew that while she probably was going to ground the idiot chimera, it definitely wouldn’t involve separating them. They needed each other.

“Wait, mom, are you coming with us?” Scott asked, eyeing his mother tying her shoelaces.

“One of my kids is out there facing down a psychotic actively murderous chimera. I know how this story ends. You’re going to need me.”

“God, I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Chris sighed, leaving the room to no doubt grab the rest of his gear.

Liam took a deep breath, taking note of Theo’s scent. He wasn’t gone long. He had at best a fifteen minute head start but Theo also knew where he was going. The rest of the pack had no idea. Liam growled softly. He pushed his senses further. There had to be something. Something… and then he caught it. He didn’t know what was in the messages that Adam sent him, but the self-loathing, resignation and guilt permeating the room told Liam all he needed to know about where Theo was headed.

“They’re in the tunnels.”

Scott sniffed and a frown pulled at the corner of his mouth. “Alright, we’re going to the tunnels. Let’s go save our idiot chimera.”

“Which one? You’re going to have be a bit more specific.”

“I literally just got here!”

“Oh, hey Corey.”

* * *

 

Theo was well aware of the fact that he was screwed. There was no version of this where he walked away okay. He knew it the minute he slipped out his bedroom window and ran as quietly as he could to the tunnels where Adam said he would be waiting. It took everything in him to leave. He heard Liam. He knew the beta meant it. But Liam didn’t know what Adam was capable of… what he meant to do. Theo had to protect his friends and his family. And getting Adam and his pack far away from Beacon Hills was the only way he could do that. Although it seemed that the pack part was already taken care of.

He fought the urge to gag as he walked through the tunnels that were littered with the bodies of Adam’s now former pack. He recognized the big man that they thought was the alpha in the beginning. A silvery fluid was leaking from his nose. Mercury. Theo reared back. Now that he knew what it was, he could smell it all around. The pack… they were failures. The Dread Doctors might’ve taught Adam how to do what they did but they didn’t teach him how to do it well. They were all dead.

“Ah, you came!”

Theo shuddered as Adam’s oily slick voice reached his ears. He looked up to meet the chimera’s gaze. He was smiling per the usual. He seemed utterly unaffected by the death of his pack mates. By the deaths that he created by turning these people into chimeras in the first place. He felt a cold pit settling in his stomach and suddenly wished he was anywhere but here. He wanted to be home, listening to Chris and Melissa bantering while Alec played video games with Liam who was the ultimate sore loser. He wanted his family.

“So I guess this is just going to be a duo kind of thing, huh?” Theo said, trying to hide the nerves in his voice.

“They weren’t strong like us,” Adam murmured, looking downward at the bodies. “They were failures. But you and I? We’re better than them. They would’ve only held us back in the end. It’s better this way.”

Theo swallowed, and forced himself to stay focused on Adam. “So when are we leaving?”

“Why the rush? This is the town where you were born… in more ways than one. I would’ve thought you’d want to stick around for a while.”

“No!” Theo yelled, pointing a finger at the older man. “You said that if I joined you, you would leave this town alone. And I’m here. So we should be gone.”

Adam shook his head. “I knew it. You’re not joining because it’s the logical thing to do you. You’re here because you’re under the misguided belief that you can somehow protect your precious friends and family.”

“Does it matter why I’m here? I’m here. The end.”

“It matters because your attachments to them make you weak. You were so amazing when you first returned to town. Cold, calculating… everything the Doctors wanted you to be. But now… you’re weak. You’re pathetic.”

“The Doctors wanted us to be monsters,” Theo retorted. “We don’t have to be monsters. We can be so much more than that.”

Adam scoffed. “And what if I like being the monster?”

“I thought that way too but…”

Adam rolled his eyes and laughed. “Let me guess… true love and family changed you?” the older chimera smirked. “Save it, Theo. You may like to pretend and you may have the others fooled but we both know the truth. You were never okay with what you did. You were a scared little boy latching onto whatever you thought could help you. And now, you’re trying to be so brave and stop me. For what? For who? Your pack? Your family? You think they care? They’re probably counting on you giving yourself up so I go away.”

Theo felt his claws digging into his hand. He promised himself he wasn’t going to let Adam get into his head again. But despite the deep seeded crazy that ran through the man, Adam was smart. And he got Theo in a way that he definitely didn’t feel comfortable with.

“Maybe they are. Maybe they’re not. But the offer stands. I’ll go with you and we leave Beacon Hills forever. We can take this stuff with us. We can make a new pack.”

“You’re really going to try that healing with the power of friendship and love bullshit on me?” Adam asked, incredulously. His expression was still fond somehow.

“It was worth a shot,” Theo shrugged with a smirk of his own.

“You know, Theo, I honestly do like you. I really regret not getting got know you back in the day,” Adam said, stepping closer. Theo tensed. “When you were at your best… before hell made you weak in more ways than one.”

Theo’s brow furrowed. He didn’t know where Adam was going with this. But he did know that the older chimera was uncomfortably close to him and he really didn’t like it. Adam clamped a hand on his shoulder and Theo had a moment to register a sharp pain before he couldn’t move. He tried to gasp but nothing came out. He was frozen in place.  

“Oh, poor sweet foolish Theo. You didn’t actually believe that nonsense about us running away together did you?” Adam smiled, leaning in further. Theo wanted to move but he couldn’t. The kanima venom running strong through his body. “I don’t need you. I don’t need anyone.” Adam brushed a hand over Theo’s face. “All I need from you, little brother…. Is your power.”

A choked sound was all he could manage as a clawed hand stabbed into his chest, barely an inch away from his heart. He wanted to scream… to howl… but nothing escaped his lips. He felt as Adam tapped into the spark of power that made him who he was. He could feel his life being drained. As Theo’s vision started to dim, he wondered if this was what Tracey and Josh felt when he killed them. He killed them. He wasn’t any better than Adam. He was a monster and this was what he…

Three pops cracked the silence in the tunnels. Twin growls that were painfully familiar to Theo sounded right before Adam’s claws were forcibly removed from his chest. Unfortunately, they were the only thing keeping him standing at the moment. He felt his knees buckle and braced himself to hit the unforgiving floor. But instead his weight was caught by something warm, safe…

“Liam.”

“Hey, babe, you are in so much trouble!” Liam greeted, giving him a watery smile though it melted as he looked down at the wound on his chest. Blue slid up to meet green once again. “I leave you alone for ten minutes and you go and get yourself impaled.”

Theo chuckled, leaning further into Liam’s warmth. He felt cold but the beta was always running hot. He felt his eyes drooping and though he had a lot more he wanted to say, at least he was going out in the arms of the one he loved the most.

And then he felt a sharp stinging pain on his cheek. His eyes snapped open as Melissa grinned down at him sheepishly.

“Did… you slap… me?”

“Yes, I did. Stay awake, kiddo. No sleeping until the gaping chest wound is closed, okay?” she asked, not unkindly. Liam shifted one of the hands supporting Theo so that he was holding onto Theo’s trembling fingers. He glanced down and saw the black veins trailing up his boyfriend’s arm. Melissa cursed quietly.

“Scott, we need you over here. He’s still not healing.”

Theo watched distantly as Scott jogged back to them, dropping down beside them and grabbing a hold of Theo’s free hand. Soon both wolves were drawing the pain away. With each black line that snaked its way up their arms, Theo could feel sensation flowing back into his limbs. And with that came even more pain.

“Just hang in there, bud. You’re going to be okay,” Scott promised. Theo swallowed as he focused on the three people hovering over him. He wasn’t prepared for this. He didn’t expect it. They came for him. They actually came… they cared. “Of course we care, stupid. We will always care about you. Even when you run away like a dumbass.”

“Chris, honey, please tell me that asshole is dead,” Melissa called over her shoulder. Her sole focus was on the wound on Theo’s chest. Theo realized she was holding gauze down on the wound keeping as much blood from escaping as possible.

“Yes, sweetheart, the asshole is very dead,” Chris replied oddly cheerful to say that Theo was currently bleeding out on the ground. Theo noticed Stiles standing on the far edge of the weird tableau on the ground but his attention was soon back to Chris who was kneeling beside Melissa, resting a comforting hand on Theo’s leg. Chris winked when he noticed Theo looking at him. “How’s our kid? Is he dead?”

“Ha... ha,” Theo retorted. He took a deep breath and found that it was a lot easier. He felt the tension drain from the others as the wound finally started to close somewhat. He shook Scott and Liam’s hands off. They had already helped more than he deserved.

“Shut up, you deserve that and so much more,” Liam hissed, slapping him lightly on the shoulder before taking his hand once again. “Don’t ever do something this stupid again!”

“What he said,” Melissa chimed in. He felt ashamed when he noticed the tears in her eyes. Still, her expression was nothing but kind as she cupped his cheek. “You are so grounded, kid. You’re not leaving the house without one of us for quite some time.”

“Yeah, okay. That’s fair,” Theo smiled softly.

“What the hell were you thinking?!” Scott snapped. Theo turned his face towards the older teen and was not at all surprised to find a pair of red eyes boring into him. “You fought so hard to get in the pack and then you were just going to leave to protect us?! You’re not allowed to leave us, Theo!”

Theo nodded, looking down. He felt his own eyes shifting in response to Scott’s alpha anger. When he looked up, he heard them all gasp. He saw Melissa and Chris exchange glances before looking at Scott. He lifted a shaky hand to his face.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“Theo… your eyes.”

“What’s wrong with my eyes?”

“They’re blue.”

He froze. Blue eyes for werewolves meant that they were killers. They took innocent lives. And while he definitely had taken innocent lives before, he had moved past that. He had been making progress. That wasn’t who he was anymore. But now his eyes said otherwise.

“I didn’t… I didn’t kill anyone! Okay, wait. That’s not true. I did kill but I haven’t killed anyone recently! I don’t know why they changed but I swear that I didn’t kill anyone…. Recently. I’m aware I have killed in the past but I swear I haven’t killed anyone since I came back from Hell. That’s not me anymore. I swear. I’m so… sorry. Shit.”

There was a heavy silence as they took a moment to process what he said. This was it. This was the moment he found himself out of the pack. Or even worse… back in the ground. Maybe they would just hand him over to Stiles. The agent would probably love to see him locked up. But either way this was it. This was the moment he lost them all. They were going to look at his eyes and…. Laugh?

“What?” he murmured as Scott, Liam, Chris and Melissa fell into a fit of giggles. “Did I miss something?”

“Just you being ridiculous,” Scott shrugged with a crooked smile. “Theo, we know you didn’t kill anyone. First off, when would you have the time? You’re either at home, school or with the rest of the pack. Second, you’re right. That’s not who you are anymore. We know that. And third, I know exactly why your eyes changed.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, it’s because you feel guilt and remorse for everything. Alec has been giving me updates. I know you’ve been stuck in brood mode since Adam first showed up. Those are Alec’s words of course. But anyway, this whole chimera pack just brought everything up for you. I’m not surprised. It was really only a matter of time. So it’s okay, Theo.”

“Think about it this way,” Chris said. “The Hales all have blue eyes and they’re still part of the pack. They’re still family.”

Theo nodded. He really needed to stop underestimating Scott and the rest of the people that willingly called him family. He should’ve known that even eye color wouldn’t stop them from caring for him. Still… there was a difference between caring and loving. He tugged on the hand Liam still held tightly. He pouted slightly when the younger teen’s eyes slid down to meet his. Liam rolled said eyes in response.

“Don’t judge me! I’m serious. You think you can still love me with these?”

“You really are a dumbass sometimes,” Liam grinned, pressing his lips against Theo’s forehead. “I will always love you. I don’t care what your eyes look like. I love you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I love you, stupid.”

“Love you too, Little Wolf.”

“And we love you both,” Scott said, patting them both on the shoulder. “But can we go home already? I’m sure the rest of the puppies have already left and are wandering the tunnels trying to find us.” He paused, rolling his eyes. “Never mind. They found us.”

“What a surprise. I tell Alec to stay home with Corey and surprise, he’s not at home. He’s here!” Melissa retorted, sarcastically. “Alright come on out, boys.” She gasped in mock horror as a sheepish Lori appeared as well. “And girl? I’m so disappointed in you.”

“In my defense, Alec is super good at the whole puppy dog eyes thing!” Lori blurted, crossing her arms over chest. “I’ve been in this pack barely six months and you guys have already dragged me down to your level.”

“And we did it with style,” Theo quipped even as Alec hurried over to them. The youngest member of their Pack was giving off a concerning amount of chemosignals. But one stood out the most. That’s why Theo didn’t bother to fight back as Alec helped him to his feet only to punch him in the face.

“What the hell, Alec?!” Liam growled but Theo pushed him back.

Alec stood in front of him with his face hidden behind his ridiculously curly hair. His breathing was entirely too ragged to say they merely walked through the tunnels. And Theo knew he wasn’t the only one who smelled salt.

“It’s okay,” he murmured. “I get it, kid. I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have left like that. You know I’m not good at this whole peopling and emotional thing. I’m still learning but I did learn that I won’t do it again.”

“You promise?” Alec asked, hoarsely.

Theo grinned, pulling him into his arms and holding him tight despite the lingering pain. Alec was worth it. “Yeah, I promise. No more sacrificing myself for what I believe is the greater good of the pack.”

“You know we all heard your heart skip, right?”

“Shut up and enjoy the moment.”

Theo’s grin grew wider when he heard Alec snort softly before wrapping his arms around Theo’s waist. He tightened his hold in response and waited. A few moments later, another pair of arms slipped around his waist and then another around his shoulders. Soon there were more and the entire puppy pack was freaking cuddling in the very same spot Theo was groomed to be a soulless monster with no ties to anyone other than himself. It was a total turnaround from who he was. And maybe it was time he admitted that this is what he deserved.

“Alright, alright, while this is very touching and heartwarming, Theo still needs to finish healing. And I need to start the first of many lectures on all the ways this could’ve gone way worse and how he’s grounded for the foreseeable future. That means no Liam, no science and no saving Beacon Hills for at least a week!”

“But she didn’t say no me,” Corey whispered, low enough for only those with supernatural hearing… and moms.

“And no Corey!”

“Dammit.” 

* * *

 

Stiles watched as the puppy pack was herded out with a fondly exasperated Melissa leading the way. They paid no mind to the bodies around them as they were caught up bickering in a way that spoke to the genuine connection between them all. Theo was supported on both sides by Liam and Alec, though it seemed Alec was just savoring the physical reminder that the chimera was alive and relatively well. He cared about Theo and Theo cared back. Theo cared enough about all of them to sacrifice himself for them all. And Stiles literally had no idea what to do with that information.

He thought he had the chimera figured out. He was the only one who saw through Theo’s act when he first arrived in town. He felt secure in the knowledge that he was going to be able to see through his crap this time around too. Except… he wasn’t. Because despite his intense scrutiny, Theo didn’t appear to have any nefarious schemes in mind. Well except apparently plotting ways to bypass the Liam ban that was placed on him. Stiles was… confused.

“Hey, you two should head back too,” Chris said, looking down at Adam’s body. “I’ll take it from here. Your dads and Parrish are on the way.”

“You sure?” Scott asked.

Chris nodded. And that was that. Five minutes later, they were slowly walking through the tunnels towards the entrance. A heavy silence hung over the two of them as they both tried to process the night’s events. Stiles felt awkward. He hated fighting with Scott. They were best friends since they were kids. They knew each other. They were brothers. And to not be on the same page about something this huge was… awful.

Stiles stopped walking, not surprised to find that Scott had also stopped at the same time. They turned to each other. “I’m sorry!”

Tentative smiles spread across the faces at the blurted in unison apology. Stiles could feel some of the tension draining from them both.

“I really am sorry, Scotty. I hate fighting with you.”

Scott smiled. “Me too. I’m sorry, Stiles. But… about Theo.”

“Yeah, I get it. You’re right. I’m still holding onto that grudge against him. It’s easier for you all. You get to see him change and grow. For me, he’s still the guy that manipulated us. That made us into our worst selves.”

“I get that. I really do,” Scott assured him and Stiles believed him. “But just like he manipulated us, he was manipulated by the Dread Doctors. They twisted him and used him. He’s come a long way from who he used to be.”

“Yeah, I kind of got that tonight,” Stiles laughed wryly. “I’m working on it. I really am this time. But also, Scotty… that guy? Adam? He wasn’t Theo.” Off his best friend’s look of surprise, Stiles snorted. “I couldn’t understand it at first because I was a little biased in the beginning. But now I get it. You think we should’ve handled the Theo situation a little better. And maybe we should’ve done something more than sending him to hell. But I think we can all agree that this is the best possible outcome regardless of how it came to be.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Scott admitted, reluctantly. “I just wish he didn’t have to deal with the baggage from Hell. His nightmares are… they’re difficult to witness. I can’t imagine what it’s like experiencing it.”

The more he heard about these nightmares, the more Stiles started to feel bad. There would always be a part of him that resented Theo and what he did. But he would have to be blind to deny that there was a distinct difference between the Theo who came to town at the start of their senior year and the Theo that just willingly snuggled with seven people after letting a fourteen year old punch him in the face.

“Also you’re almost always right,” Scott continued, dragging Stiles out of his thought. “I am a bleeding heart.”

“Yeah, you are. But that’s not exactly a bad thing. It’s what makes you the True Alpha. And why you have the most… colorful pack around.” Stiles poked his friend on the chest. “It’s also why you have me.”

“Yeah, you have a point,” Scott said, grinning. Stiles smiled in response and sighed as the last of the tension retreated. “Thanks, Stiles.”

“You’re welcome. Also thank you.”

“For what?”

“You help me too. Sometimes I do need to be a little less suspicious. I’m working on it.”

Scott looked pensive before nodding. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” He clapped a hand on Stiles’ shoulder and just like that they were back on the same page. “Now let’s go home. I’m exhausted and I didn’t even do anything.”

The journey back to the car and then the McCall house was a lot lighter than before with the pair falling back into their usual pattern of joking and bantering. Scott tensed as they pulled into the driveway and Stiles was also on guard. To say that the Talbots and Mason’s cars were here, the house was remarkably silent. No one in this pack knew how to be quiet. So Stiles felt justified in being on guard.

But that guard dropped as they opened the door to find that the living room furniture had been pushed to the side and there was an actual puppy pile on the floor surrounded by what appeared to be every form of linens from the house and possibly next door. All of the teens were camped out with Brett, Lori, Nolan, Mason and Corey sacked out in front of the television where they were watching a movie with the captions on and sound off. In the center of the piles of blankets were Liam, Alec and Theo. Liam was on his back with Theo sprawled across his chest. Alec was tucked into Theo’s side and had a hand resting on his back. Both looked like they were sleeping while Liam was wide awake, running a hand over Theo’s back absently.

“Everything good?” Scott asked, quietly. He kneeled down behind the beta, running a hand through Theo’s hair. The chimera sleepily shifted in Scott’s direction before settling down again. Stiles had to bite back the urge to smile at the younger teen. It was slightly adorable.

“Yeah, he’s almost healed,” Liam responded. “Just exhausted. He pretty much knocked out as soon as we got here. He wasn’t been sleeping before all of this and now with the healing. It’s a lot.”

“Did you really take every blanket from the house?”

Liam snorted. “Actually some of these are from the Hewitt’s and the Holloway’s. Also I’m pretty sure Lori stole some from Derek. Theo told us once that the nightmares aren’t so bad when he has pack around. So before they came to get us, these guys built the McCall pack pillow fort. This is why we shouldn’t leave them unsupervised. I keep telling y’all that Mason isn’t the responsible one you think he is.”

Scott put a hand over his mouth to hide the laugh that threatened to erupt. He then scooted down so that he was lying on Liam’s free side. He patted the space on the floor beside him when he caught Stiles watching them. The agent shook his head but dropped down to the floor curling under a blanket that definitely smelled like Derek. Stiles let that scent and the sounds of muffled laughter and soft breathing lull him to sleep.

In what felt like a few minutes later, he found himself waking up because of the sound of murmuring nearby. The lights and the television were off and the five teens were now curled up still huddled together.  Scott and Liam were also asleep. Their heads leaned together as if they fell asleep talking. Stiles initially confused as to what had roused him when he finally settled on the chimera and the youngest wolf.

“It’s okay, Al,” Theo was whispering while running his hand through Alec’s hair. “I’m here and I’m not going anywhere again, I promise. I’m so sorry.”

This continued for a few more tense moments that Stiles genuinely felt bad for silently observing. Finally, Alec settled down curling into his pillow once again. Theo slumped with relief. He settled his face in Liam’s neck for a brief moment before looking up directly into Stiles’ eyes.

“You get what you needed from that?”

“You…of course, you knew,” Stiles rolled his eyes. His bit the inside of his cheek as Theo snorted. “Actually yeah, I did. You changed. Or maybe you weren’t the chimera of death to begin with. I don’t know and I don’t care. You’re one of us aren’t you?”

“I want to be,” Theo whispered.

“Well then you are,” Stiles nodded. “I get it now. And even if I didn’t, you have people here who care about you and don’t want you to go. They want to protect you the same way you want to protect them. So maybe cool it with the heroics, huh?”

Even in the dim lighting of the room, Stiles could make out the blush staining the younger teen’s cheeks. He watched as Theo glanced down at Liam and then at Alec. A smile tugged on his lips.

“Yeah,” he finally said. “You’re right. Thanks, Stiles.”

“Not necessary. Just…. Take care of yourself. People need you.”

“Yeah, I guess they do.”

“And… I might need you too.”

“Really now?”

“Yeah, you’re still into _Star Wars_ , right?”

“Of course. Oddly enough, that was the one normal activity the Dread Doctors all encouraged. They gave me the money to see the prequels. Then again I now see how that was them experimenting on me.”

Stiles finally gave into the urge to laugh. “Well then, I’m glad you’re here. These heathens don’t respect _Star Wars._ I’m pretty sure that Scott still hasn’t watched it just to spite me and Liam is following in his footsteps.”

“What?” Theo asked voice flat. “What the actual…” he trailed off as he looked at the clock. Then suddenly he was jumping to his feet, startling both Liam and Alec who yelped and flailed at the sudden movements. Their panic alerted the others in the room. Stiles watched as several glowing eyes appeared before the lights were turned back on.

“Theo, baby, you okay?” Liam asked, sleepily.

“No. I’m not okay. Because what the hell, Liam! You and Scott haven’t watched _Star Wars_?!” Theo yelled like that was a perfectly rational reaction to have at two in the morning.

“Really, Stiles?” Scott groaned, flopping back down. Stiles gave no other response than a heavily exaggerated evil laugh.

“Who else here wants to confess their sins?!”

Corey, Lori, and Brett raised their hands. Alec held up his hand and wiggled it slightly. “I’ve only seen the prequels. Never anything else.’

Stiles scooted over to Theo’s abandoned spot. “You poor soul,” he said, wrapping an arm around the younger wolf. Alec snorted though his eyes were locked on Theo who was busy in a staring contest with Mason.

“How have you let Corey and Liam go this long without watching the movies? What kind of nerd are you anyway? You really just let your boyfriend and your best friends live in ignorance!”

“I could say the same thing for you. But it’s worse for you. You really let your boyfriend, your best friends and half of your brothers live in a hopeless nerd void!”

Theo paused glancing between Scott, Liam, Alec, Corey and Brett for a few silent moments before snapping right back into the crazy. He declared that they were fixing the problem right away and before Stiles could even process what was happening, they were all sitting together in the blanket fort surrounded by snacks that Melissa didn’t even seem mildly perturbed to having been summoned to make at two in the morning.

As the scrolling text played, Stiles found himself watching Theo more than the screen. The chimera was mouthing along with the opening crawl along with Mason. Liam was sitting behind Theo with the chimera resting against his chest. He too seemed to be more focused on his boyfriend than the screen, a fact that Theo noted by hitting him on the chest every time he caught him staring anywhere but the screen.

Occasionally, he would tap Liam or Alec on the leg when something exciting was happening. Stiles remembered being on the receiving ends of those overly enthusiastic hits before from a younger and even more excited version of the young man sitting on the McCall living room floor. It was the first time Stiles really let himself see the child Theo used to be. And now that he was open to it, he realized that Theo had been around a lot longer. Scott was right. He was holding onto the Chimera of Death persona that Theo had adopted when he first returned to Beacon Hills. But that wasn’t who he was anymore.

“He has changed.”

“Yeah. He has.”

“Still a dork though.”

“Oh yeah.”

“I heard that!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed. Thank you for all the comments and kudos so far. They're encouraging and feed the fire that keep the writer's block away.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope we enjoyed!


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